Planning a wedding need not be a costly and time-consuming affair if you use some smart money-saving hacks.
You are about to get married or at least, you just got engaged! and you are now faced with the task of planning the dream wedding you always wanted. But dream weddings are expensive and time intensive: there are umpteen tasks to oversee, and it can become confusing and overwhelming if you are short of money.
Fairytale wedding locations need not be expensive, if planned smartly. | Photo Courtesy: 35mm CandidsDo not panic simply consider these five money-saving hacks for your wedding:
- Assess your bank balance. Sit down with your partner and discuss your finances. You can then decide on a simple ceremony or a costly destination wedding. Start by listing down all the ceremonies and rituals that you absolutely must have, how many people you wish to invite, which venue to book, etc. This will help you estimate how much money you need. If there is a shortfall in funds, you can apply for a personal loan or ask your parents or friends for help.
- Decide the date. The wedding date you pick will have a bearing on many things, primarily the availability of a venue and how quickly you can set up the wedding. You will need more money for a large wedding with 1,000 guests, but not much if you want a simple registered marriage ceremony.
- Draw up a guest list. The size of your guest list depends on the size of your wedding and your budget. A large chunk of your funds will be diverted towards paying for seating, catering, decoration and transportation. If you do not have the money on hand, simply apply for a personal loan and start booking the venue, catering and flower arrangement services, etc.
- Start booking everything immediately. Waiting till the wedding season rolls around to book all the essential services will get you nowhere. Venues, beauticians, caterers, decorators and furniture suppliers are snapped up in no time, so book all of them the moment you set a date. You will also need to coordinate with the flower contractors, henna artists, make-up artistes, musicians, dress designers etc. to ensure that every service provider reaches on time. The sooner you book, the less money you will spend.
- Engage friends and family. You might become completely overwhelmed with the idea of planning the entire wedding yourself, or you might be too rushed for time to do so. The smarter option is to entrust specific tasks to friends and family. While some can take care of coordinating with the guests and service providers, others can run errands and design invitation cards. This will also save you a lot of money and effort.
Featured Image Source: 35mm Candids